Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Physical Therapists actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 29.8% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Physical Therapists earning $124,190 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $124,190 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$19,344 | 15.6% |
| California State Income Tax | -$8,202 | 6.6% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$7,699 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,800 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$37,047 | 29.8% |
| Take-Home Pay | $87,142 | 70.2% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Physical Therapists in California.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $85,580 | -$21,827 | $63,752 | 25.5% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $100,790 | -$27,751 | $73,038 | 27.5% |
| Median (P50) | $124,190 | -$37,047 | $87,142 | 29.8% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $141,260 | -$44,037 | $97,222 | 31.2% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $163,960 | -$53,332 | $110,627 | 32.5% |
After federal income tax ($19,344), state tax ($8,202), and FICA ($9,500), a Physical Therapists in California takes home $87,142 per year — or $7,261 per month. The effective tax rate of 29.8% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Physical Therapists in California loses 29.8% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $124,190 gross, $87,143 lands in the paycheck after federal ($19,344), state ($8,203), and FICA ($9,501) withholding.
California uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Physical Therapists salary the state tax works out to $8,203 (6.6% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Physical Therapists salary is $19,344 (52%), but combined state ($8,203, 22%) + FICA ($9,501, 26%) make up the other 48% of the bill.
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Physical Therapists earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $95,345 — an extra $8,203 (9.4%) annually compared with California.
For Physical Therapists after-tax pay, California ranks #2 of 51 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $87,143 net/year works out to $7,262/month or $3,352/bi-weekly for this Physical Therapists in California — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Physical Therapists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #2 out of 51 states for Physical Therapists after-tax take-home pay.
A Physical Therapists in California earning a median salary of $124,190 will take home approximately $87,142 per year after federal income tax ($19,344), state income tax ($8,202), and FICA ($9,500). That is $7,261 per month or $3,351 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Physical Therapists in California is 29.8%, broken down as: federal income tax 15.6%, California state tax 6.6%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
California has a progressive (up to 13.3%). On a Physical Therapists's median salary of $124,190, the state income tax amounts to $8,202 per year, which is an effective state rate of 6.6%.
After all taxes, a Physical Therapists in California takes home approximately $7,261 per month, or about $41.90 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $124,190 for Physical Therapists in California, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), California state income tax (progressive (up to 13.3%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $87,142/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR